People across India take to the streets to protest against the detention of social activist Anna Hazare and his supporters in New Delhi.
Kolkata
Following Anna's detention, an NGO "Help us Help them" is going to observe a silent protest in the city "This is horrid and unacceptable. It is against our democratic polity. We
are all free to demonstrate in a peaceful manner. Anna is fighting for our country, for the well being of all its citizens. We should all unite to support him. Our NGO is supporting his cause. We will be having a peaceful demonstration today," said Mukti Gupta, the secretary of the organisation. The youngsters of the city have also planned to support the protest. "Anna came as a special guest in a television show on Friday. He requested all the Indians to support him by standing out of their houses at 8pm today. My friends and I have decided to follow his wishes," said Priyanka Sau, a resident of Bally in Howrah district.
Chennai
People in Chennai gathered to support social activist Anna Hazare's demand for a strong anti-corruption bill, said the India Against Corruption (IAC), which backs the leader. "With Anna Hazare being detained by Delhi Police, we will soon decide on the issue of courting arrest," media coordinator for IAC Bhavana Upadhyaya told IANS. Freedom fighter Lakshmikanthan Bharathi, 85, began his fast. Ninety-year-old Venkata Kalyanam, former personal secretary to Mahatma Gandhi, is also expected to join. Corporate executives, software professionals, media artistes and small businessmen are at the venue of fast in south Chennai, Upadhyaya said.
Uttar Pradesh
Anna Hazare's early morning arrest in Delhi, before he could begin his fast to press for anti-graft lokpal bill, was widely condemned across Uttar Pradesh, people going on indefinite fast, lawyers not turning up for work and academicians joining protests. Five people in the state capital have gone on a fast-unto-death at the Jhulelal Park near the Lucknow University, in support of Hazare's anti-corruption movement. People were seen singing patriotic songs at Lucknow's Jhulelal Park, holding protests, raising slogans against the government, burning effigies of senior union ministers. In Allahabad, the entire court work had to be stopped as lawyers either didn't turn up for work and those who did, were all in support of Hazare. In Agra, Shaheed Smarak in Sanjay Place was the focal point of the agitation that took shape. The supporters came on their own and gathered at platform while raising slogan. Traders, students, social activists and even a common man were outraged by Anna's arrest in Varanasi. Hundreds of members of the local unit of India Against Corruption assembled at the Collectorate in protest against Anna's arrest.
Himachal Pradesh
Several activists began an indefinite hunger strike in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi town to press for a strong anti-corruption lokpal bill and express solidarity with civil society leader Anna Hazare, who was detained early morning."As per the scheduled programme, we have started our fast in support of a strong Lokpal bill. Since police have arrested Anna, we have decided to go as per previous plan. If needed, we will court arrest," RTI activist Lawan Thakur told IANS from Mandi.He said Anna's arrest was regrettable and condemnable.
Maharashtra
Residents of Anna Hazare's village Ralegan Siddhi took to the streets to protest the detention of the anti-corruption crusader in New Delhi. There were demonstrations in Pune and Mumbai too. Scores of people trooped out of their homes soon after news of the arrest of Hazare and his team members reached the village, about 230 km from Mumbai. There was a spontaneous shutdown in the village.Flaying the arrests, many villagers, including women, marched to the local Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation bus depot and raised slogans against the government. The state police had deployed tight security in the village and all the roads leading to it from Pune, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad and Nashik. While thousands of activists staged a march in Pune, a large number of protestors started gathering near Dadar in Mumbai to chart out the further course of action.The main agitation is planned at Azad Maidan in Mumbai later Tuesday where prominent activists, including Medha Patkar, are expected to congregate.
Orissa
Hundreds of Hazare's supporters held deomonstrations and rallies in protest against his arrest in Bhubaneswar and other cities of Orissa. In Bhubaneswar, senior citizens, lawyers, social activists and students held demonstrations at several places to show their solidarity with Hazare. "Hazare's arrest reminds one of the emergency in 1975 when democratic rights were throttled by the political establishment," said Rabi Das, convenor of Jan Sammelani. In Sambapur, about 300 activists held a motorcycle rally demanding Hazare's release and a strong janlokpal bill.
Chhattisgarh
Students, office workers and homemakers were among the scores of people who stepped out in Chhattisgarh, with as many as 80 of them reportedly courting arrest to protest the arrest of activist Anna Hazare in New Delhi. People gathered at the Budha Talab area soon after television channels flashed the news of Delhi Police whisking Hazare away as he was about to begin his fast-unto-death for a strong lokpal bill. After demonstrations at Budha Talab, protests spread to the state's industrial towns Bhilai, Raigarh, Korba, besides Bilaspur, Ambikapur and Jagdalpur.
Holding placards pledging support to Hazare, people from various walks of life and age groups held demonstrations at district headquarters of all the 18 districts, condemning the Congress-led government's decision to arrest Anna.
